Pulmonary conditions affect millions of Americans and many more individuals worldwide. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), for example, including emphysema, asthma, bronchiectais and chronic bronchitis, is one of the most common chronic conditions and the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. While various environmental and genetic factors may contribute to COPD, cigarette smoking is the primary cause. Cigarette smoke can trigger inflammatory responses within the lungs, activating elastase, cathepsin G, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). These enzymes are proteases that result in progressive destruction of the elastic tissue of the lungs, reducing the elasticity and lung recoil required for exhalation. Damaged alveolar walls can eventually rupture to form inelastic “blebs.” Emphysema, for example, is characterized by abnormal enlargement of alveolar airspaces distal to terminal bronchioles and destruction of airspace parenchyma resulting in such “blebs.”
Current treatments are wanting. Treatment of pulmonary conditions often involves control and management rather than a cure for the disease. With emphysema, for example, treatment can involve cessation of smoking, exercise programs, medications that help open constricted airways, anti-inflammatory medications, oxygen therapy, placement of one-way valves, and lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS). LVRS involves surgical removal of damaged, over-inflated lung tissue to free up space for the expansion of remaining non-damaged tissue. This technique, however, requires invasive procedures and benefits tend to decline over time. Further, treatments using one-way valves have not proved satisfactory. Thus, there remains a need for improved methods for treating pulmonary conditions, such as emphysema.
The present invention provides methods and compositions directed thereto. Other methods and compositions directed thereto are provided in U.S. nonprovisional applications entitled “Targeting Damaged Lung Tissue Using Compositions,” filed Dec. 8, 2004; “Targeting Damaged Lung Tissue,” filed Dec. 8, 2004; “Targeting Sites of Damaged Lung Tissue Using Composition,” filed Dec. 8, 2004; “Targeting Sites of Damaged Lung Tissue,” filed Dec. 8, 2004; “Imaging Damaged Lung Tissue Using Compositions,” filed Dec. 8, 2004; “Imaging Damaged Lung Tissue,” filed Dec. 8, 2004; “Glue Compositions for Lung Volume Reduction,” filed Dec. 8, 2004; “Glue Composition for Lung Volume Reduction,” filed Dec. 8, 2004; and “Lung Volume Reduction Using Glue Composition,” filed Dec. 8, 2004, each of which is herein incorporated in its entirety.